News

Government donates minesweeper to Ukraine: “A powerful signal of international solidarity”

27 June 2025

In a solemn ceremony held in Zeebrugge, the federal government officially handed over the minesweeper Narcis to Ukraine. At the same time, the Netherlands donated its sister ship, Vlaardingen. Together, the two naval vessels form the core of a joint effort to strengthen Ukraine’s navy. Belgian …

Theo Francken: "Europe’s deference to the US is partly our own doing"

26 June 2025

Following the NATO summit in The Hague, Europe is once again standing shoulder to shoulder with the United States. Defence Minister Theo Francken looked back on the past few days in an interview with VTM Nieuws. “As long as we remain weak, we need the US,” Francken said. “If we could defend …

Agreement on €34 billion defence investment: “Belgium is once again a reliable NATO partner”

25 June 2025

The federal government has reached a preliminary agreement on its defence strategy – the so-called Strategic Vision 2026–2034. “It’s a historic plan, with €34 billion in investments,” Defence Minister Theo Francken explained on De Ochtend. “This will allow us to rebuild our military strength. We’re …

Anneleen Van Bossuyt introduces targeted border checks to combat illegal migration

20 June 2025

The federal government has decided to implement enhanced entry checks on Belgian territory, based on Article 23 of the Schengen Borders Code. The announcement was made by Minister for Asylum and Migration Anneleen Van Bossuyt and Minister of the Interior Bernard Quintin (MR). “Migration flows are …

Johan Van Overtveldt: “Europe must strengthen its defence with smart investments and structural reforms”

18 June 2025

During a plenary session of the European Parliament, Johan Van Overtveldt, head of the N-VA delegation and chair of the Budget Committee, called for a fundamental shift in Europe’s defence policy. “Either we strengthen our defence, security, and resilience, or we risk seeing our democracy and …

Assita Kanko welcomes major breakthrough in fight against child sexual abuse: “Time must not be a hiding place for perpetrators”

17 June 2025

The European Parliament has overwhelmingly approved its position on a new directive to strengthen and sharpen the fight against child sexual abuse. MEP Assita Kanko, who helped negotiate the text as a shadow rapporteur, called the outcome a much-needed course correction to better protect children …

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